1:39 pm, June 12, 2026
A car dealership in Abertillery, Wales, has been operating for five years without permission to do so, Blaenau Gwent council planners have heard.
The business Reo Car Sales is now retrospectively applying for planning permission for the change of use of the site on the Cwmtillery Industrial Estate.
According to the planning statement submitted by the car dealer, they were issued a planning contravention notice on December 11, 2025, and were since advised to submit a retrospective planning application.
The planning application it has now submitted ‘seeks retrospective consent for the change of use from B2 (General Industrial) to Sui Generis (Car Sales)’.
The South Wales Argus reports that planning agent Paul Parsons of Creation Design Wales said: ‘Following correspondence with the council’s development management team leader, Joanne White, the applicant was advised to submit a retrospective planning application to retain the use.
‘The site has been operating as Reo Car Sales since November 2021. Prior to that, it has been a car auctioneers run by Gavel Auctioneers Ltd, who are still the landlord of the property.
‘The application seeks to regularise the current use and demonstrate that it is compatible with the surrounding industrial context, highway safety requirements, and local planning policy.’
He added: ‘Reo Car Sales is a locally owned and operated business specialising in the sale of quality used vehicles. The business provides local employment and supports the reuse of an existing industrial unit.
‘It contributes to the local economy by offering vehicle sales within Blaenau Gwent, reducing the need for residents to travel outside the county for such services.’
